TL;DRLjubljana is 15% cheaper on rent ($1,118/mo vs $1,316/mo). English is much more widely spoken in Ljubljana. Both are solid options for settling down — the spreadsheet won't save you from this one.

Ljubljana edges ahead 77 to 69. Florence isn't far behind — it depends what matters to you.

How the livability score breaks down

Florence

Ljubljana

16.2/25

💰 Affordability

18.1/25

14.5/15

🔒 Violent Crime

14.4/15

5.8/10

🛡️ Perceived Safety

7.8/10

3.5/15

⚡ Internet

9.7/15

11.4/15

🗳️ Democracy

11.7/15

5.4/10

🗣️ English

8.7/10

7.5/10

☀️ Climate

9/10

📊 Stability

8/10

8.8/10

🚗 Road Safety

4.3/10

7.4/10

🕊️ Geopolitical Safety

8.4/10

Verdict delivered. Your move.

The winner's file

🇸🇮 Ljubljana

Full profile. Verify before you pack.

Due diligence

🇮🇹 Florence

Every verdict deserves an appeal.

Plot twist

Milan vs Florence

Someone else's dilemma, equally unsolvable.

Household

Florence

Metric

Ljubljana

$712/mo

🛒

Living costs (no rent)

lower is better

$701/mo

$7,759

🧳

Cost to land

lower is better

—

81 / 100

🛡️

Settler safety

higher is better

86 / 100✓

0.5 / 100k

🔒

Homicides

lower is better

0.6 / 100k

5.0 / 100k

🚗

Road deaths

lower is better

—

58 / 100

🚨

Safety Index

higher is better

78 / 100✓

86°F

☀️

Summer high

personal taste

81°F

37°F

❄️

Winter low

personal taste

30°F

46 Mbps

⚡

Internet speed

higher is better

130 Mbps✓

10.9 μg/m³

🌬️

Air quality (PM2.5)

lower is better

—

83 / 100

🏥

Healthcare

higher is better

—

7.6 / 10

🗳️

Democracy

higher is better

7.8 / 10

✓6.5 / 9

🤝

Migrant acceptance

higher is better

4.4 / 9

25 / 100

🏳️‍🌈

Rainbow Index

higher is better

50 / 100✓

29/100

🗣️

Street English

higher is better

72/100✓

✓$62k

💼

GDP per capita (PPP)

higher is better

$57k

✓1.0% · Practically frozen

📈

Inflation

lower is better

2.0% · Boringly steady

89/100 — Mostly stable

⚡

Grid reliability

higher is better

—

87/100

🗽

Freedom House

higher is better

—

See exactly what you keep after taxes in each city

Sources: Numbeo · UNODC · Ookla · WHO · EIU · Gallup · World Bank · Freedom House · Updated May 2026

💰

Cost of Living

Ljubljana

$197/mo cheaper on rent alone

☀️

Weather

—

86°F vs 81°F summers

🗣️

English

Ljubljana

higher proficiency score

Sun

How much sky you actually get

55% clear

Win

Spr

Sum

Fall

Sky clear

avg daytime

47% clear

Win

Spr

Sum

Fall

8.9h

Shortest day

Dec

8.8h

15.5h

Longest day

Jun

15.7h

Sun clocks out before 5pm in both cities come December. Plan accordingly.

Source: WeatherSpark (clear-sky share of daytime hours)

Settler Essentials

stable →

Democracy trend

—

improving ↑

Inflation trend

—

fashion-leathertourismfood-winefintech

Industries

—

nascent

Startup ecosystem

—

Moderate

🇺🇸 Your visa

—

Easy

EU visa

—

Complex

RU visa

—

Easy

UA visa

—

✅ Partner can work immediately

Spouse works

—

Not recognized

unione civile / convivenza di fatto (no immigration rights)

Partner pathway

Recognized

izvenzakonska skupnost (extramarital community)

€2,583/mo

Retiree visa

—

Visa stamps:Easy <90 daysModerate 3–6 moComplex 6+ mo

Sources: EIU · Freedom House · Startup Genome · official immigration portals

Reproductive Rights

Because your body shouldn't need a visa too

On request

Abortion access

On request

12 wk

Gestational limit

10 wk

On request up to 90 days. 7-day waiting period. High rates of conscientious objection limit practical access.

On request up to 10 weeks. From 10-20 weeks, approval by a medical committee required.

Source: Center for Reproductive Rights

LGBTQ+ Rights

Can you hold hands without doing a risk assessment first

Civil union

Marriage

Legal

Step-child only

Adoption

Joint adoption

Yes

Job protection

Yes

Hate crime law

Yes

Florence vs Ljubljana — Common Questions

Is Florence cheaper than Ljubljana?▾

Ljubljana is cheaper. A 1-bedroom apartment in city centre costs around $1118/month there vs $1316/month in the other city (Numbeo data).

Which is safer, Florence or Ljubljana?▾

Florence is statistically safer based on UNODC homicide data. Florence has a rate of 0.55 per 100,000 and Ljubljana has 0.57 per 100,000.

Should I move to Florence or Ljubljana?▾

Ljubljana edges ahead 77 to 69. Florence isn't far behind — it depends what matters to you. See the full comparison above for rent, safety, internet speed, climate, and democracy scores to decide which city fits your priorities.

Is it easier to get residency in Florence or Ljubljana?▾

Florence: Italy Digital Nomad Visa (moderate requirements, 1 year (renewable)). Ljubljana: no specific remote work visa. See each city's profile page for full requirements.

Which has better weather, Florence or Ljubljana?▾

Florence is warmer in summer (86°F vs 81°F). Ljubljana has milder summers, which suits those who prefer cooler weather. Climate preference is personal — use the weather section above to compare seasons.

Can I live in Florence or Ljubljana without speaking the local language?▾

Ljubljana is easier for street-level English (72/100) than Florence (29/100). That's the score that matters for doctors, landlords, and bureaucracy. Office English can still run higher than street English in both cities.

What's the cost of rent in Florence vs Ljubljana?▾

A 1-bedroom in the centre: $1118/month in Ljubljana, $1316/month in Florence (Numbeo). That's 15% cheaper rent in Ljubljana.